Weapon Types
Weapons can best be split into one of five categories: Melee, Handgun, Long Gun, Artillery, and Exotics. Each category is comprised of several sub-categories. Melee Melee weapons are any weapons used in hand-to-hand combat. Knives, swords, and axes are just a few examples. Melee weapons are comprised of four categories: * Replica * Homemade * Official * Historical Replicas '''are recreations of popular weapons seen in movies, TV shows, comics, etc. and are usually viewed as decorative. They are dull and typically made of 440 steel, and are not reliable for use in combat, but are a welcome last resort. '''Homemade weapons are self-explanatory. Weapons made from home, such as nail bats, makeshift swords or axes, or maces. These are often more common and conventional than replicas, but are also typically made of lesser quality materials, and as a result are not ideal for combat - but are preferred over replicas, or nothing at all. Official melee weapons are those forged for use, rather than decoration. Higher quality metals and overall construction, combined with a sharp edge and good balance, make these the best melee weapons for one to carry. Historical weapons can most often be found in pawn shops, collector homes, or museums. They are weapons from the past, often forged for either combat or decoration, and fall somewhere between replicas and officials in terms of quality. Depending on the weapon, it may have been ceremonial, or for actual use. Handguns Handguns can be split into three different categories: * Pistols * Machine Pistols * Heavy Pistols Pistols are universally known. Small, semi-automatic guns (or revolvers) that fit in one hand, usually taking either 9mm or .45 ACP ammunition. Small, concealable, and deadly, they require little skill to use but great skill to master. Popular examples are the Beretta M9, Glock 17, or Colt M1911. Machine Pistols are, like their single-shot counterparts, small and concealable, again taking usually 9mm or .45 ACP ammunition. However, these can typically fire in full-auto, putting more lead downrange at the cost of higher recoil. Some come with shoulder stocks and small grips, such as the Beretta M93 Raffica. Popular examples are the Beretta M93 Raffica, Mac 11, and Micro Uzi. Heavy Pistols are considered anything over .45 ACP weapons. Very uncommon, and ammo more so, these were once viewed as either showpieces, or over-compensators. Popular examples are the .50 AE Desert Eagle, .44 Magnum, and the Smith & Wesson .500 Magnum. Long Guns Long guns are, technically speaking, anything larger than a handgun but smaller than an artillery weapon. Long guns consist of: * SMGs / PDWs * Carbines / Assault Rifles * Shotguns * Designated Marksman Rifles / Sniper Rifles * Light Machine Guns Submachine Guns (SMGs) and Personal Defense Weapons (PDWs) are compact, usually fully automatic firearms. SMGs are, essentially, compact automatic rifles firing pistol rounds (9mm or .45 ACP, usually). PDWs are larger than SMGs and fire rifle ammunition (usually 7.62 or 5.56). Popular examples are the MP5, MP7, and P90. Carbines and Assault Rifles (ARs) '''are larger, usually fully automatic weapons. Carbines are shorter than ARs, are slightly less accurate, have slightly less power, but are lighter and easier to handle than their larger brethren. Assault Rifles are heavier, harder to handle, but are more accurate and have more punch than Carbines. Both tend to fire either 5.56 or 7.62 ammunition, depending on the weapon. Popular examples are the M4, Steyr AUG, and the AK-47. '''Shotguns are any number of pump action or semi-automatic firearms that use shells or slugs instead of bullets. There is a wide variety of shotguns, from single barrel, to double barrel, to magazine fed ones. The most popular shotguns are pump action, and take either birdshot (large amount of very small pellets), buckshot (small amount of large pellets), or slugs (One single 'slug'). While there are variants on each ammo type, shotgun ammunition is common, and most shotguns can take different levels of ammunition as long as it stays within the 'gauge' - 12 gauge shotguns are the most common, leading to little issue. Popular examples are the Remington 870, Franchi SPAS-12, and Benelli M4. Designated Marksman Rifles (DMRs) and Sniper Rifles (SRs) are primarily long-range firearms, and hunting rifles fall into this category. DMRs are semi-automatic rifles with lesser range and accuracy than a sniper rifle, but more range and accuracy than an assault rifle, and most fire 7.62 rounds, with some firing 5.56. Sniper Rifles have supreme accuracy and range, with most firing 7.62 ammunition, but most are bolt-action, meaning that they fire much slower than other weapons. Hunting rifles are similar, but vary in ammunition types and range. Popular examples are the FN Mk20 SSR, MK14, and M40A3. Light Machine Guns (LMGs) are heavy firearms with large magazines firing either 5.56 or 7.62 rounds. Large, bulky, and heavy, but great at suppressing an enemy. Also called Squad Automatic Weapons (SAWs), they come with heavier barrels to help prevent overheating, and a bipod for deployment. Most use large box magazines, but some use large AR style magazines as well. Popular examples are the M249 SAW, M1918 BAR, and RPK. Artillery Artillery weapons are considered any of the number of high-power weapons. These include: * Grenade Launchers * Rocket Launchers * Heavy Machine Guns / Emplaced Machine Guns * Anti-Material Rifles and others, such as Mortars, Anti-Air weapons, Tanks, and such. Grenade Launchers (GLs) come in one of four forms: Attached, Standalone, Automatic, and Fixed. Attached grenade launchers are attached to the underbarrel of a weapon, typically an AR, and hold a single round. Standalone grenade launchers are larger, more stable versions of the attached launchers, with either one or six barrels. Automatic are emplaced on the ground, and fire from a magazine or belt of grenades. Fixed grenade launchers are typically defensive, and are mounted on the likes of tanks. Grenades are usually one of 4 variants - 30mm, 40mm, smoke, or gas. Popular examples are the M203, M79, and Milkor MGL. Rocket Launcers (RLs) are any number of shoulder-mounted weapons firing rocket-propelled explosives to an area. They are also called bazookas or RPGs, and some have the ability to lock on to ground or air vehicles. Each kind uses its own specific ammunition type. Popular examples are the RPG-7, AT-4, and Panzerschreck. Heavy Machine Guns (HMGs) and Emplaced Machine Guns are high-caliber automatic weapons that are too heavy and have too much recoil to be handled by a person without aid. They fire .50 cal or 12.7mm most often, though some that are designated as a 'Minigun' fire 7.62. Almost all HMGs are found on vehicles, such as military Jeeps or helicopters. Popular examples are the MG42, Browning M2, and Vulcan M134 Minigun. Anti-Material Rifles (AMRs) are similar to sniper rifles, but weigh more, fire a greater caliber and have greater range, accuracy, and stopping power. Unlike sniper rifles, these are meant for use against armored targets, rather than combatants. Due to the power behind the rounds, they are most often used while prone and come with bipods, and muzzle brakes. They can fire several ammunition types, ranging from armor piercing to explosive. Popular examples are the Barrett M95, AW50, and McMillan Tac-50. Exotics Exotics are considered any number of unconventional, rare, or otherwise notable weapons. Bows and arrows, crossbows, and custom made firearms fall in this category. Category:Weapons Category:Info